IN HOUSE PERFUMERY

About Our Fragrances

All Society Botanica fragrances are designed in house, specifically for their partner formulations.   Each fragrance is filled with stories of plants, people, and seasonal moments in time. Each plant, tree, and flower had unique life, influenced by gardeners, growers, and distillers. We aspire to continue these stories before passing them on to you for their next chapter.

botanical alchemy

Plant-Centric Botanical Fragrance

Perfume formulas and materials selection are held to near identical criteria as our broader formulation standard.   Botanical extracts (essential oils, absolutes, etc) form the center of every formula, accounting for at least 90% of the formula make up.   Any non-botanical materials are either natural analogs (materials found in nature but produced synthetically) or synthetics with a respectful environmental footprint.  


We have found that co-creation with non-natural materials allows us to produce more nuanced scent profiles that are simultaneously milder on the skin, more stable in our partner formulas and respectful to the environment. 


The composition breakdown of our fragrances can be found on our product pages under the 'About' section.

Functional Perfumery

Art Meets Function

Functional fragrance is different from traditional perfumery.   In some ways, it has more complex requirements as each fragrance component has the potential to interact with the unique chemistry of its partner formula base.   All of our fragrance builds are made to excel as functional perfumes without sacrificing the nuanced and complex nature of natural materials.    We sought to break away from heavy-handed, synthetic-smelling functional fragrances and instead offer a naturalistic realism that brings life each botanical note.  

Thoughtful sourcing

Material Selection with Conscience

Special consideration is given to the sourcing of materials to mitigate negative environmental pressure.    Functional fragrances, particularly in wash off products, are largely washed away making them all the more fleeting.  As a result, we avoid use of precious materials like Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album) and replace with more renewable versions like Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum).   These considerations also affect fragrance themes, where core notes are selected either for their renewable nature or are not associated with negative environmental pressures.  In some instances, we supplement precious materials with eco-minded synthetics to allow for a more sustainable profile while maintaining a clean, clear note in the final fragrance.


Society Botanica does not use PBT (Persistant, Bioaccumulative, Toxic) materials or materials categorized as CMR (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, or Reproductively Toxic).   All of our material selections are intended to have a respectful environmental footprint with ready or inherent biodegradability. We also do not use pthalates, nitro musks, polycyclic musks or BHT. See our formulation standard for more information on why we've chosen to exclude these materials.

Made for the sensitive types

Gentle by Design

Society Botanica adheres to IFRA and EU SCCS standards to ensure that our fragrances are mild on the skin and of low sensitization risk.   Our final formula inputs are designed to provide an immersive, yet ephemeral fragrance experience while maintaining ample headroom to IFRA maximums for low sensitization risk.

EXPLORE OUR FRAGRANCES

CEDAR & MANDARIN

Stroll through a Provencal kitchen garden on a warm day with this classic blend of Green Mandarin, Moroccan Cedar Atlas, and refreshingly herbal Rosemary leaf. A truly transportive fragrance, bringing to life the heart of the mediterranean garden.

SANDALWOOD & NEROLI

Rich, opulent Sandalwood, sparkling Tangerine and soft, floral Moroccan Neroli combine with a light touch of clove and patchouli to evoke a walk through the market in Marrakesh.

ITALIAN ORANGE BLOSSOM

A love poem to rich Spring florals. Decadent Orange Blossom gives way to notes of Lilac and Linden flowers, embraced by spirited notes of Blood Orange and Tangerine.